Projectile.



F. A. LIZARRAGA.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED Dic. 22. 191s.

1 ,24; 1 ,409, Patented Sept.- 25, 1917.

' Suva/"Ion lets or other solid and FRANCISCO ADOLFO LIZARBAGA', 0F COBOZAL, BRITISH HONDURAS.

PBOJECTEE.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

Application led December 22, 1916. Serial No. 138,522.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCISCO' ADOLFO LIZARRAGA, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Corozal, British Honduras, Central America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a specifica-v tlon.

This invention relates to an improvement in projectiles and more particularly to bulnon-explosive projectiles as distinguished from shrapnel or the like.

It has been demonstrated that the bullet or solid projectile as now generally in use and as provided with amore or less flat base, creates a very high vacuum in its wake, which vacuum is increased with the speed of propulsion of the bullet, thus creating a variation in atmospheric pressure and throwing up an obstacle for the range and hitting power of the projectile. It is of course to be understood that the speed of travel of the projectile will be governed in a great measure by the piece from which it is fired and that the creation of vacuum in the wake of the bullet will be somewhat dependent upon the force with which the projectile is discharged, and with the above in mind, it is a purpose of my invention toprovlde a bullet `or other projectile of the solid type which is so formed that the projectile in its travel will part the air and the air will then sweep in at the tail of the projectile to thus cause the bullet to perforate and travel through the air without the creation of the high fvacuum at the tail thereof.`

A further object lies inshaping the rear endof the projectile in such a manner that it is notched to present helicoidalcuts partaking of substantially the same pitch as the riiing of the fire arm or ordnance piece from which the projectile is to be iird, the projectile being thus so shaped that as it is rotated it bores its way through the air and the air then flows down through the helicoidal cuts to destroy vacuum which would otherwise be created in the wake of the projectile.

Yet another object lies in providing structure by which the explosive charge used to impel the projectile is held against escape throighthe cuts at thevrear end of the projecti e.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certam novel features of construction' and combinations of parts'which will be hereinafter set forth in connectionl with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawin Figure 1 is a view illustrating a projectile fitted in place in a shell such as might be used in a rifle or other hand lire arm.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the projectile to more clearly illustrate the form of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation showing the member adapted to prevent the loss of driving force of the explosive through impact with the shaped lend of the projectile.

As has been stated, the device of my invention adapts itself for use as a projectile for rifles or other small arms, or lfor guns of larger caliber and long range, and "in either connection the increase in eiiiciency will be attained. As various uses will be made of the projectile, it will of course be understood thatit may be made of the solidtype, might be steel cased, soft nosed, or made of any other form, and-that the projectile might even be of the explosive type, and might have a brass or other soft metal ring fitted thereon to make the same follow the rifling of the fire arm in which it is to be used, and therefore it is not to be understood that the form and construction as herein described is to be taken as the only shape and design which the projectile might have.

In the presentinstancel have illustrated the projectile in the form of a bullet to be fitted in a brass or other rifle cartridge, and the projectile 1 has the outer lend thereof pointed as shown at 2 to thus give greater penetrating qualities and also to lessen the resistance of the bullet in passing throu h the air. The main body portion of t e bullet is made of substantially uniform diameter throughout, and is formed to be received in the shaped outer end of the shell 3. This bullet 1 can be made of the steel cased type, made throughout of a hard or soft metal, or formed and shaped in any other approved and desired manner, and at its rear end the projectile is notched and cut out as is shown at 4, 5, and 6 so that the notches l partake of a helicoidal form. As is here lllustrated, the one side of each of the cutscoidal form, although it will be apparent that some variations might be made from this exact form. It is perhaps preferable that the helicoidal form of the cuts or notches be gaged to take substantially the same pitch as is taken by the rifling of the gun barrel in which the projectile is to be used, and inV this Way as the projectile is fired from the barrel, the projectile Will bore its Way through the air and the air after passing over the body thereof will flow-down over the helicoidal side of the cuts formed in the rear portion thereof and will thus rush in to relieve the tendency to the creation of a vacuum in the wake of the projectile.

The projectile might be fitted in the shaped outer end of a shell such as shown at 3, or might be fitted in at the breech of a gun to be ired by a charge of explosive placed in the gun, and also the burst of the expansion due to the explosion might be permitted to act directly upon the shaped inner end of the projectile, but it is preferable tha't a disk 7 made of substantially the same diameter or caliber as the projectile be provided to be' fitted back of the same and to thus cover the cut and shaped inner end. When the projectile is to be used in connection with a shell, the explosive, powder, cordite, or other suitable material, is placed Within the shell as is sho-Wn at 8, it of course being understood that provision is made for the ring of the shell. The disk 7 is then inserted in the shaped portion of the outer end of the shell to cover over the explosive charge, and the projectile 1 is then mounted in place, it being preferable that the shaped portion of the shell be made sufliciently long that the entire notched end of the projectile be received therein. VFollowing the insertion of the projectile, this shaped end is rblled to obtain proper securement of the projectile and the disk, and thus the shell is completed and ready for use, the shaped portion thereof fitting snugly around the shaped inner end of the projectile acting to secure the shell against ingress of Water and other foreign matter.

It Will of course be understood that Where the projectile is tol be used in a gun of larger caliber, and Without a shell, the projectile will be first placed in the breech of the gun and brought to the proper position after which the disk 7, which is preferably of glass or vsome other softer .metal which will not injure the riling of the barrel is `mounted in place back of the projectile, following Which the explosive charge 1s inserted. In the use of the projectile either with a shell or Without the employment of a shell, the firing of the explosive charge will cause the disk 7 to be driven out and expelled from the barrel of the gun, and the projectile Will be driven before this disk, the two parts thus moving as substantially a single unit. Due to the fact that the disk 7 is of a soft material and is backed up against the rear end of the projectile With great force vdue to the explosion, this disk will shoW a tendency to follow the riling and will aid in the initial turning of the projectile, thus perhaps relieving the necessity of placing a band or other portion to cause the projectile to follow the rifling.

As has been stated, it is of course apparent that the projectile might be made of various shapes and sizes to accommodate the same for the particular gun in which it is to be used but in any adaptation which may be made, the essential fea-tures to be retained are the notches in the rear end of the projectile formed to partake of a helicoidal curve, and preferably shaped to have a pitch corresponding with the pitch of the riing of the gun. In the present disclosure Ihave shown only three of these notches, but it Will be evident that variation can be made in the number, as Well as the shape and size of these notches.

In the use of the projectile, as the same passes through the air, the ypointed end will penetrate, and then as the air rushes in to 4fill the space as left vacant by the passage of the projectile at high speed, this air will pass over the sides of the body of the projectile and then down through the cuts or notches to slide off from the rear end of the projectile and thus greatly relieve the drag which is created when the air rushes over a more or less sharp rear edgeon the body portion in an endeavor to fill the high vacuum space immediately in the rear of the projectile.` As the projectile is under ordinary conditions being revolved as it travels forward, due to the fact that the rifling of .the gun barrel has caused spinning of the bullet or other projectile, the formation of the cuts or notches to take the helicoidal shape makes the projectile of such form that the air passes readily over the curved side of the notched portion and thus the drag of the air during the passage ofthe projectile is greatly relieved and perhaps under some circumstances the direct drag might be almost entirely overcome, thus very materially increasing the carrying qualities of the prejectile and at the same time giving greater accuracy in the use of the same due to the fact that any slight irregularity in the formation of the projectile is not felt, or permitted to act upon the projectile With the same degree of controlling force.

It will be apparent that the changes and variations as suggested herein, and other modifications might be made in the form and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not Wish to be limited to the exact disclosure but rather onlv lwith the to such points as may be set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A projectile having notches formed therein for passage of air in the flight of the projectile, which notches are shaped to have one of the sides thereof extend substantially parallel with the axis of the projectile and remaining side given a helicoidal curve.

2. A projectile having the rear end thereof notched to permit passa e of air, which notches have one side extened substantially parallel with the axis of the projectile and the remaining sides given a helicoidal curve arlid tapered off into the body of the projecti e.

3. A projectile of elongated form having a plurality of notches provided at .the rear end thereof for passage of air, which notches are spaced at equidlstant points and are shaped to have one side thereof extend substantially in line with the length of the projectile, and with the remaining sides formed to take a helicoidal curve.

4. A projectile of elongated form adapted for use in conjunction with a gun having the barrel thereof `rifled2 Which projectile has notches formed therein with one side of each notch extending substantially parallel with the axis of the projectile and the remainin side of each notch shaped in a helicoida curve to conform substantially to the line of twist as given to the projectile by the rifling of the gun barrel.

5. A projectile of elongated form having the rear end thereof provided With a plurality of notches which are spaced at equidistant points, said notches each havin one of the sides thereof substantially radia ly disposed and extending in line W1th Ithe axis of the projectile and with the remaining side formed in a helicoidal curve, and said notches being extended into the body of the projectile to substantially the center thereof at the rear end and merging into the body of the projectile at their forward ends.

6.. A projectile having the rear end therewardly on and within the outline of the same during flight, and a disk shaped to b e fitted against to receive impelling force and to bear against and move the projectile.

7 A projectile having the rear end thereof notched on the side to take a helicoidal curve, and a disk shaped to be fitted against the rear end of the projectile to receive impelling force and to bear against and move the projectile.

8. A projectile of elongated form having the rear end thereof notched at the side to present one side of the notch to extend substantially radially from the center of the vprojectile and With the remaining sides formed in a helicoidal curve, and a disk shaped to be fitted against the rear end of the projectile to receive impelling force and to bear against and move the projectile.

9. A projectile of elongated form adapted for use in conjunction with the gun having the barrel thereof ried, said projectile having the body portion thereof notched to partake of a helicoidal curve to follow the pitch of the riling of the barrel, and a disk shaped to be tted against the rear end of the projectile to receive impelling force and to bear against and move the projectile.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

. FRANCISCO ADOLFO LIZARRAGA.

Witnesses:

GERALD BRADDIOK, ARTHUR BALDERAMOS.

' of notched to permit passage of air rearthe rear end of the projectile 

